Xperia XZ1 & XZ1 Compact review: Sony’s best ever?

Design

You know the saying. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. The opposite is also true. Sony, however, doesn’t care about its hideous design language. We haven’t seen the Xperia line change dramatically, and that’s no exaggeration. The phones were rectangles with massive bezels then and they still are now.

The Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact awkwardly stand out in 2017 as they would in 2012. They are, like their predecessors, unsightly due to the shape and bezels. Sony should at least shrink the forehead and the chin on its phones to stop the embarrassment. Apple, Samsung, Essential, LG, and other companies are doing away with the bezel while Sony can’t even give us something reasonable.

Seriously, Sony needs to let go of whatever this design language means to longtime employees. We know Sony can do better since its televisions and cameras are well-made, often winning design awards. If the company can make something half as impressive as the Galaxy S8, maybe its mobile division will be respected again.

The Xperia XZ1 Compact is, as the name suggests, a miniature version of the Xperia XZ1. Their sizes are indeed different, but their layouts and internal specifications are mostly the same. Both have front-facing stereo speakers above and below the display, a dedicated camera button along the right side, water-resistance and dust-resistance, and the same 19MP camera on the back. There’s no mistaking the two are related.

While the Xperia XZ1 is made of metal, the Xperia XZ1 Compact is made of plastic. That’s not to say the smaller model looks and feels cheap. Still, you’d expect more out of the Xperia XZ1 Compact considering its price. And neither is comfortable to use. The Xperia XZ1 is awful in one hand because of the thick bottom bezel with a sharp edge, and the Xperia XZ1 Compact is far too small. Also, the buttons for power, volume, and the camera are subpar. You’re never really sure if they’re working because the click is so soft and silent.

Maybe Sony deserves a pat on the back for offering these phones in attractive colors. You can get the Xperia XZ1 in Black, Moonlit Blue, Venus Pink, and Warm Silver. The smaller model comes in the same colors with slightly different hues. You’re probably doing design wrong if the only advantage is the choice of colors, though.

Article source: https://www.technobuffalo.com/2017/10/24/sony-xperia-xz1-and-compact-review/